Top 10 Best Xbox One Games of Q1 2018

Monster Hunter: World

Top 10 Best Xbox One Games of Q1 2018

Likely the biggest release so far in 2018, Monster: Hunter World (rather appropriately) took the world by storm, revamping a beloved yet somewhat lethargic franchise and ushering it into a new era. Far more accessible than its almost elitist predecessors, MHW is the perfect entry point for curious bystanders who have been keen to finally take the plunge and set off slaughtering all hapless creatures foolish enough to cross their path. In this sense, the game’s wild success has helped to broaden its appeal even further, with a flourishing online community of players of all skill levels, perhaps just as frightened and incompetent as we are.

This doesn’t come at the compromise of what made this franchise famous to begin with, however, and longtime veterans will rejoice in meeting up again with familiar old foes, as well as a swarth of hideous new beasts keen to make them their next meal. Whether you’re skilled enough to break free in these times of peril will dictate your survival, but not necessarily your enjoyment: sometimes, the discovery and shock of getting your rear completely kicked on the first attempt is equally as compelling as a successful hunt.

MHW is an intelligently designed game, and though the selection of monsters is small compared to previous rosters, more are being progressively introduced into the ecosystem. Fan favorite Deviljho recently made its return, and eager hunters leapt at the opportunity to mount that ugly sucker on their wall. Fingers crossed that the inflatable shark Zamtrios is soon to follow.

Dragon Ball FighterZ

Top 10 Best Xbox One Games of Q1 2018

For years, we have been clamoring for the perfect Dragon Ball Z game: one that captures the anime’s lightning fast combat, blinding flashes of energy beams, and preponderance of muscular blonde gentlemen shouting at one another. The Xenoverse titles certainly do an excellent job of that, but FighterZ, at long last, nails it to a tee. Battles are frantic, noisy and busy, and if you aren’t paying attention, you’ll quickly be made into the resident Yamcha.

Once you get the hang of swapping  between your team members and juggling your rivals in enormous midair combos, you’ll soon become hooked. Perhaps that’s about the only thing that isn’t accurate to the source material, where fights mostly consist of Goku doing all the work and everyone else standing around having a discussion.

Ultimately, there’s something here for everyone, whether or not they are well versed in the fighting genre. Some characters have a higher degree of difficulty to properly use than others, and their hidden potential will prove enticing to those after more of a challenge. As for the dabblers, they can merrily launch Kamehamehas left, right and center without having to deal with too much complexity. Unlike some other entries in the franchise’s history, each fighter feels unique from one another, and their movesets and styles remain faithful to Toriyama’s vision. 

Celeste

Top 10 Best Xbox One Games of Q1 2018

It may seem bold for such a modest indie title to stake a claim as one of the year’s best, but Celeste does everything that a great game should, and then some. It truly deserves the recognition it has been receiving.

Visually and stylistically, it has the same nostalgic appeal that made Shovel Knight such an aesthetic joy, but the tense platforming and puzzles hounding you at every turn are overwhelmingly modern. Each screen feels like a Rube Goldberg machine, with several moving parts that will have to be tackled in an interconnected manner to progress. The repeated trial and error can be frustrating at first, but then at once, it all clicks, and Madeline whizzes through the hazards unscathed. Your success is significant, but temporary: onto the next one. If you haven’t given this game a shot yet, you ought to do yourself a favor and rectify that. Though the other entries on this list may have broader appeal for certain demographics, Celeste is for gamers, pure and simple.

Far Cry 5

Top 10 Best Xbox One Games of Q1 2018

The newest offering on this list, Far Cry 5 just barely snuck in to be able to qualify for the Q1 rankings. Trying to succinctly quantify what this game is feels like a daunting task, because it is so much of everything. Looking and feeling more realistic than maybe anything we’ve seen before, with graphics that feel tailor-made for the processing power of the Xbox One X, the fifth entry in Ubisoft’s quirky line of shooters is like a window into an alternate reality. It’s not too unlike our own, with troubling parallels into obsession, greed and depravity, albeit exaggerated and more irreverent. The villainous psychopath Joseph Seed evokes memories of Jim Jones with his confidence and charisma, but before things become too uncanny, out comes a hulking pet bear that his disciples sic upon the non-believers. Oh Cheeseburger, you old lug, you.

If Celeste is the perfect example of what an indie game should be, Far Cry 5 could be considered the quintessential triple A title. You may never actually find all there is tucked away in Hope County’s massive world, and years down the track, we’ll likely still be unearthing little details that had gone previously unseen. Montana might seem an unlikely setting for a sprawling adventure, but all doubts will melt away the first time one of the locals lights you up with a flamethrower (as will your face, and most of your body).

Pit People

Top 10 Best Xbox One Games of Q1 2018

Pit People first arrived as an early access title over a year ago, but it wasn’t until last month that the full version finally launched. And it was well worth the wait – absolutely overflowing with the kind of content and charm that has become synonymous with developer The Behemoth.

Battles take place on a hexagonal grid, where two armies face off against one another with different units, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. It’s nothing too revolutionary on a gameplay level, but the learning curve is straightforward, and the tone helps keep the pace fresh in the early stages while you’re getting to grips with combat. Soon, you’ll be dispatching soldiers with ease, allowing you more time to revel in the writing, which veers wildly from clever wordplay to low brow potty humor on a whim. It all blends seamlessly somehow, and each chapter unveils another unique take on a familiar genre.

A Way Out

Top 10 Best Xbox One Games of Q1 2018

A game focussed on two-player co-op? Yes please, we’ll take that any day of the week.

A Way Out is more than just an enticing premise, though. Revolving around a pair of men attempting to escape from prison, this action-adventure title offers a series of challenges that will test your ability to operate as a cohesive unit and resist the urge to shank one another. So important is the focus on cooperation, it cannot be played by a single person on their own, unless they have an extra pair of particularly dextrous hands.

With the modern focus on PvP, it can be easy to forget how enjoyable it is to work in conjunction with a partner. A Way Out is a refreshing alteration of the things we have grown accustomed to in gaming, and though it isn’t without its own faults and limitations, the strong base idea and execution make it a worthwhile experience.

Burnout Paradise Remastered

Top 10 Best Xbox One Games of Q1 2018

It’s fair to say that Burnout Paradise Remastered plays things pretty safe; it does little to enhance the almost decade-old formula that it is based upon. However, it’s not always necessary to reinvent the wheel, particularly when that wheel is flying haphazardly over bridges at two hundred miles an hour.

Part racing game, part destruction derby, all lunacy, there is a mindless glee here that you just don’t see that much in gaming anymore. There are similarities to its more contemporary cousin, Need for Speed, but with a looser sense of the rules. If Need for Speed is the golden boy, Burnout Paradise is the fun uncle that’s always down for a laugh.

The open world lends itself wonderfully to the chaos, and smashing into things at high speeds is just as much of a lark now as it was back in 2008. Could we go for a new proper Burnout sequel? Absolutely. But until that time, Paradise Remastered really scratches the itch for vehicular carnage.

Surviving Mars

Top 10 Best Xbox One Games of Q1 2018

Now this is the plan: get your ass to Mars.

A game of micromanagement and quick thinking, Surviving Mars is a nifty take on the strategy genre. It’s a lot to take in at first, and that may prove too foreboding for some, but those who stick with it and allow their knowledge to grow along with the community they create, will find themselves invested and curious, capable of sinking hours into protecting the citizens.

Juggling the commitments that come with lording over the tiny little people on Mars with solving the riddles and mysteries of the alien planet compels players to dig just that little bit deeper, an enriching and altogether rewarding marriage of applying the concepts you know with the assumptions you desperately hope will pan out. Sometimes, it won’t work, and they will pay dearly for your faux pas. But such is the risk you take when terraforming strange land. To paraphrase Mark Twain, life itself is only a vision. A dream. …Does that make their imminent demise more palatable?

Sea of Thieves

Top 10 Best Xbox One Games of Q1 2018

Though it hasn’t proven to be the killer app that Microsoft was hoping for, Sea of Thieves remains an intriguing attempt at an MMO, with evidence of the ambition and Rare’s inimitable sense of style present throughout. Really, the fun is what you make of it, even if it’s lacking in actual content to help drive things along.

As it relies so heavily on the people you happen upon, each play session can pan out quite differently. You might find yourself immersed in debauchery and treachery as you stowaway upon ships and recklessly antagonize everyone onboard. Or you might end up twiddling your thumbs and languishing on another fetch quest, longing for some sense of adventure.

Sea of Thieves isn’t for everyone, particularly at this early stage of its release. But there is a finger on the pulse as they try to work out the kinks, promising to adapt to the demands of the players. If they can manage to implement more variety down the track, we may well find ourselves growing to really love it. Stay tuned.

Bridge Constructor Portal

Top 10 Best Xbox One Games of Q1 2018

Not exactly the sequel people saw coming, but this tongue-in-cheek Portal spinoff maintains the elements that we have come to expect from the series, repurposing it and delivering a cheeky puzzler that suitably stimulates the grey matter. The more you play Bridge Constructor, the more sense it will make to you, and the presentation is absolutely top notch: watching those little stick figures flit about the stage is endearing and oftentimes hilarious.

Once you’ve got an idea in your head, seeing it come to fruition with a completed run is gratifying enough to make the sometimes grating process of actually constructing the apparatus more palatable. You’ll end up thinking a fair bit with this one, and probably laughing a fair bit more, too.